Infosys visa fraud case trial: Hearing on August 20

A US trial court has set August 20 next year as the trial date for the alleged visa fraud case against Infosys. The case, being heard by a federal court in Alabama, relates to a lawsuit filed by whistle-blower Jay Palmer in February this year.

The petitioner had alleged Infosys was routinely bringing Indian IT professionals to the US on B-1 visitors' visas to work full-time at clients' sites.

Alabama federal judge Myron H Thompson, while issuing the ruling yesterday, said a pre-trial conference would be held on July 20, 2012. "This case is set for trial during the term of the court commencing on the 20th day of August 2012," the judge said.

Coincidentally, the trial date start falls on the birthday of Infosys co-founder N R Narayana Murthy, now chairman-emeritus of the 1981-founded company.

Earlier, the court had rejected Infosys' plea for deciding the case through arbitration. The IT solutions firm had sought arbitration on the basis of an agreement that Palmer signed with the company in his employment contract.